Daily archives: January 30, 2015

The authorities have disconnected the power supply and snapped all kinds of voice and data connections to BNP chairperson Khaleda Zia’s Gulshan political office.

Dhaka Electric Supply Company Limited (Desco) disconnected electricity line of the office, where Khaleda is staying since January 3, around 2:42am Saturday, said the BNP chief's press wing official Shamsuddin Didar.

The step was taken hours after Shipping Minister Shahjahan Khan threatened to cut the power supply to Khaleda's office and residence.

BNP-led alliance calls 72-hour hartal from tomorrow amid countrywide transport blockadeThe BNP-led 20-party alliance’s announcement of countrywide 72-hour shutdown from tomorrow along with the ongoing blockade has put the Secondary School Certificate examinations in a great peril.

BNP leaders have said they would not backtrack from the movement as they are not responsible for the ongoing crisis. The government should step down from office to put an end to the prevailing political stalemate, they say.

Party insiders told the Dhaka Tribune hartal (shutdown) along with the blockade will be enforced on a regular basis until the problem is solved.

Indigenous leaders and activists have expressed resolve to resist at any cost the government move to establish a medical college and a science and technology university in Rangamati.

They allege that the Awami League government did not consult the indigenous community leaders about its plan to establish the medical college, which violates the 1997 agreement known as the Chittagong Hill Tracts Peace Accord.

Four people were burnt as a bus was set on fire at Khilgaon in the capital yesterday while another four were injured in two crude bomb blasts at Mirpur and Palashi. Stray acts of subversion and violence were reported in Comilla, Barisal, Khulna, Noakhali. Three people sustained injuries in the incidents.

The four burn victims, including a retired policeman named Jamaluddin, were admitted to Dhaka Medical College Hospital where doctors said they suffered 6-15% burn.

The driver and his assistant were sleeping inside the bus when it was set on fireFazal Miah, a Jatiyatabadi Chhatra Dal activist, received a phone call on January 20 that instructed him to set a bus on fire in his area.

“You have to set a bus on fire,” the order came from the other end of the mobile phone to Fazal Miah alias Sajal, 22, when he was working in his garage.

“A boro bhai (big brother) named Pavel rang me,” he said this while he was presented before the media at Dhaka Metropolitan Police (DMP) Media and Community Center yesterday.

The Bangladesh government risks making the country’s situation worse by giving police “carte blanche to use excessive force” in response to bomb attacks, Amnesty International (AI) has said.

In a press statement issued on Thursday, the rights group quoted media reports of Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina saying: “as the head of the government I am giving [the police] the liberty to take any action wherever and whenever it will be deemed necessary” to stop arson.

Over the past six months, Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi is learnt to have been repeatedly unhappy with the MEA and particularly with former foreign secretary Sujatha Singh’s leadership, which failed to keep pace with his bigger interests.

Where Sujatha Singh and the PMO diverged was her inability – or unwillingness – to make the necessary course corrections.

Early problems cropped up between the Singh-led MEA and the PMO when the BRICS summit declaration put in a paragraph critical of Israel, a country Modi has declared as a priority partner.

About 100 Chinese families of passengers on the missing Malaysian airliner demanded yesterday that Malaysian officials retract their statement that all aboard died, saying that without hard evidence they don’t want to start compensation claims.

The chief of Russia’s armed forces said yesterday a strong nuclear arsenal will ensure military superiority over the West as Russia seeks to fulfill a multi-billion dollar plan to modernise its forces by 2020.

Russia, facing a likely recession this year after US and European sanctions over Ukraine and a fall in oil prices, must deal with new forms of Western aggression, including economic confrontation, said armed forces chief Gen. Valery Gerasimov.

With virtually no knowledge about the opponents, Sri Lanka will begin their Bangabandhu Gold Cup International Football campaign at Sylhet District Stadium today against a confident Malaysia Under-23 side. The match will kick off at 5pm.

On the eve of their opening match today, Sri Lanka’s Serbian head coach Nikola Kavazovic admitted that they are yet to analyse their opposition.

The final Group A tie against Sri Lanka this Monday at Bangabandhu National Stadium was already a do-or-die one for Bangladesh given that the hosts lost their opening match against Malaysia Under-23 two days ago in Sylhet. The home side’s final encounter though became doubly important yesterday as skipper Mamunul Islam hinted that he might retire from national duty if they fail to qualify for the semifinals of the Bangabandhu Gold Cup.

Following three days of training, Bangladesh cricket team enjoyed a rare day off yesterday in Brisbane as the national cricketers experienced the thrills of Go-Karting. The entire Bangladesh contingent, including the coaching staff, thoroughly enjoyed their leisure time on the race track.

Thailand Under-23 kicked off their Bangabandhu Gold Cup campaign with a hard-fought 3-2 victory over Singapore U-23 in the first match of Group B at Sylhet District Stadium yesterday.

With Bahrain – the other side of Group B – touted as the favourites to win the cup, yesterday’s match was potentially a quarterfinal to decide which of the two teams make it through to the last four as the runners up side from this group. And it was Thailand who sealed the win in a topsy-turvy encounter.

A brilliant unbeaten hundred from Joyraj Sheik enabled the Bangladesh Under-19 cricket team to conclude their opening three-day match against Sri Lanka U-19 yesterday with a 73-run first innings lead.

Resuming the third and final day’s play on 78/2 at Dambulla International Stadium, overnight batsman Sheik made merry of the Lankan bowlers to score an undefeated 100 off 167 balls with the help of 11 boundaries. Skipper Mehedy Hasan added 41 as the Junior Tigers finished the day on 289/8.

RAB and police are also planning additional security measures to prevent any unwanted situationIn a move to heighten security during the Amar Ekushey Book Fair, the Bangla Academy authorities are going to install 60 CCTV cameras.

Apart from the cameras, walk-through metal detectors will also be installed.

Police, RAB, intelligence officials and Ansar personnel will be deployed at both the fair venues – Bangla Academy premises and Suhrawardy Udyan – to ensure security of visitors.

On this Valentine’s Day, charming personality Nusrat Faria will be seen on small screen endorsing Mr Cookie Biscuit with heartthrob actor Arefin Shuvo.

Talking to the Dhaka Tribune, the model cum actress, Faria expressed her feelings: “The commercial is different from other TVCs. It has music, drama, and dance that we usually see in films. I can assure that it will be a hit commercial in 2015.”

To mark the 43rd disappearance day of the eminent filmmaker Zahir Raihan, a 3-day film festival dedicated to his work and memory began yesterday at the national art gallery of Bangladesh Shilpakala Academy.

The festival named after him is featuring four of his popular movies and a documentary on his life.